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DIANE KORIR
GROUP DIRECTOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, BRAND AND MARKETING – BRITAM GROUP
Insurance is rarely a category that sparks affection. Most people engage with it only when something has gone wrong, and even then, the experience can be fraught. Yet over the past few years, Britam has shifted that sentiment, repositioning itself as a modern, approachable, and increasingly trusted financial services brand.
At the centre of this transformation is Diane Korir, Britam’s Group Director of Customer Experience, Brand and Marketing, who has leveraged storytelling to strengthen customer loyalty and elevate the brand across seven African markets.
Diane stepped into her role at a pivotal moment. Britam had weathered leadership changes, operational strain, and muted market confidence. Customers were cautious, employees fatigued, and the brand felt distant from the people it served. Her mandate became clear: reset the narrative, refocus the organisation around the customer, and give Britam a voice that matched its ambition.
Her approach began with simplicity. Insurance language is notoriously dense, and in a market where penetration remains below 3%, jargon becomes an obstacle rather than a differentiator. Diane championed clearer communication, simpler products, and authentic storytelling anchored on human impact rather than technical features.
This shift crystallised in a refreshed brand philosophy that portrays Britam as a “Friend for Life.” More than a tagline, it has become a commitment to show up consistently, empathetically, and practically for customers navigating uncertainty.
The repositioning rolled out across Britam’s African business footprint through a fully integrated campaign grounded in real customer stories—claims paid quickly, families rebuilding, small businesses staying afloat during shocks. These narratives sparked measurable change. Britam rose to become the third strongest brand in Kenya in 2023/24 and 2024/25, earning an AAA+ rating from Brand Finance and reinforcing its status as the country’s most valuable insurance brand. Diane herself was ranked 4th among the Top 25 Most Impactful Women in Corporate Communications, underscoring the role of disciplined narrative in driving business momentum.
This foundation prepared the organisation for one of its most significant milestones: Britam’s 60th anniversary in 2025. Milestones can easily become vanity exercises; Diane chose to position it as a moment to reinforce confidence while reminding customers and employees why the brand matters. The “Africa’s Friend for 60 Years” campaign blended heritage with forward motion. A regionally aired TV commercial paired nostalgia with modernity; a documentary traced Britam’s growth from a modest 1965 insurer to a Pan-African financial services group; and human-centred activations spanned markets from Nairobi to Lilongwe.
In Kenya, celebrations culminated in a high-touch event at the Britam Tower—part brand showcase, part employee tribute—punctuated by fireworks above the Nairobi skyline. Internally, employees marked the anniversary by planting a Britam@60 flag on Mt. Kenya’s Point Lenana, symbolising the organisation’s resilience and ascent.
The results extended beyond sentiment. Customer satisfaction rose from 85% to 98% within a year. Net Promoter Score increased by 55%. Brand equity strengthened, and the anniversary campaign earned multiple honours, including winning the People’s Choice Awards in both Life and Auto Insurance as well as 1st Runners up for Best Communications Strategy at the 2025 Institute of Customer Experience Kenya (ICX) Service Excellence Awards.
Still, Diane’s work has never been about campaigns alone. She has pushed for a seamless customer journey across every touchpoint—branches, digital platforms, call centres, and frontline teams. Under her leadership, Britam launched a branch uplift programme, redesigning branches into more inviting, conversational spaces. The focus: quick service, intuitive journeys, and physical environments that reinforce the brand’s renewed personality.
Her remit also extends to socially grounded business units. The rebrand of Britam Microinsurance to Britam Connect is a defining example. Informed by research among low-income households—including flood-affected families in Tana River—the new identity positioned the business as an accessible financial safety net for underserved communities. This work earned Britam Connect a place among the Top 3 finalists at the European Microfinance Awards 2025, validating the blend of insight, empathy, and disciplined execution.
The commercial impact has been equally strong. Britam posted a 65% jump in pre-tax profit to KSh 4.82 billion in 2023, followed by 52% growth to KSh 7.3 billion in 2024—underpinned by stronger customer loyalty, improved service, and renewed market confidence. Recognition followed: Britam’s consistent presence atop industry rankings, coupled with Diane’s placement by Business Monthly as the 6th Most Impactful C-suite executive Leading Business with an Edge in Kenya in 2025, signals not only communications excellence but business transformation rooted in customer-centred leadership.
Britam’s momentum continued to resonate across the region, attracting further recognition for both brand and product innovation. At the Marketing World Awards 2025, Britam was celebrated as the Innovative Insurance Brand of the Year, while Lea Mama—an initiative under Britam Connect—was named the Most Innovative Insurance Product and also earned First Runners Up for Sustainability and CSR Campaign of the Year at the Marketing Society of Kenya Awards 2025. Britam Biashara Network was similarly honoured with the Best Business-to-Business Marketing Strategy of the Year at the Marketing Society Kenya Awards.
At the centre of this wave of accolades was a defining personal achievement: Diane Korir was named Marketing Leader of the Year 2025, a distinction that underscored her growing influence in shaping how insurance storytelling is done across Africa.
If there is a defining theme in Diane’s work, it is coherence. Her teams are guided to build from insight rather than instinct, to embrace empathy without compromising commercial intent, and to craft narratives that reflect who Britam is becoming—not merely who it has been. The result is a brand that feels contemporary, confident, and connected to the realities of its market.
In an industry built on trust, coherence becomes currency. Under Diane Korir’s leadership, Britam is investing it wisely.
